Automatic railway-switch.



M. K. MARLOW.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY SWITCH.

APPLICATION- FILED SEPT. 19. 1913.

Patented June 9, 1914.

MARK KNOX MARLOW, OF BLOCK, TENNESSEE.

AUTOMATIC RAILWAY-SWITCH.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, MARK KNOX 'MARLOW, acitizen of the United States, residing at Block, in the county ofCampbell and State of Tennessee, have invented new and use fulImprovements in Automatic Railway- Switches, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention is an improved automatic railway switch which is adaptedto be actuated by the train wheels to set the switch rail as the trainenters the main track from a side or switch track and thus avoid alldangers resulting from misplaced switch rails, the invention consistingin the construction,

combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a plan of an automatic railwayswitch constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs. 2 and 3arevertical transverse sectional views of the same on the planesindicated by the lines aa and b?), respectively.

The main track rails are indicated at 1, the side rails at 2 and theswitch rails at 3. The inner side rails converge to a point or frog 4.The outer side rails are shown as integral with and bent from the mainrail as at 5. The switch rails are secured at their converging ends 6near the frog 4 and their opposite ends are free to move toward and fromthe main rails and are arranged on the inner sides of the main rails.The switch rails 3 are of the type known as split rails, each taperingto a point at its free end as at 7 The free ends of the switch rails arear ranged to move on a tie 8 and are connected together by a rod 9 theends of which are pivotally connected as at 10 to clip plates 11 whichare bolted on the base flanges 12 of said switch rails. The rod 9 whichcon nects the switch rails adapts them to move simultaneously in thesame direction so that when one switch rail is moved and caused to bearagainst the inner side of one of the main rails the other switch rail ismoved away from the other main rail.- The points of the switch rail arealso pivotally connected as at 13 to a bridle rod 14:. Links 15 arepivotally connected to the ends of the bridle rod as at 16 and thebridle rod is also provided with a locking arm 17 which eX- tends fromone end thereof and is provided with a locking lug 18 which hasoppositely beveled sides that converge outwardly from said arm. Alocking bolt 19 is mounted for Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 19, 19 13.

Patented June 9, 1914:.

Serial No. 790,753.

movement in a guide frame and casing 20 which is secured on a tie 21 anda guide 22 for the outer ends of the locking arm 17 is also secured onthe said tie. The locking lug is movable by the operation of the bridlerod across one end of the locking bolt and the latter has a lockingpoint 23 which is oppositely beveled and is arranged reversely withreference to the lug 18. A spring 24 is provided to project the point ofthe locking bolt into the path of the locking lug. Hence when the switchrails are in either position one beveled side of the locking point ofthe bolt bears against one beveled side of the locking lug and thelocking bolt, by reason of the tension of its spring, holds the switchpoints in such position and prevents them from being casually moved.

Bed timbers 25 are arranged on the outside of the outer side rails 2 andare supported on ties 26. The upper surfaces of these bed timbers arecovered with plate iron and are level with the heads of the rails.Switch operating rails 28, which are adapted to be operated by the trainwheels are arranged on the bed timbers and pivotally mounted at theirinner ends as at 29 the outer end of the said switch operating railbeing outturned as at 80. Each switch operating rail has a base flange31 on its outer side. Said switch operating rails, being arranged on thebed timbers 25 lie in higher planes than the track rails and hence whena train approaches the main track from either of the sidings or switchtracks its wheels on one side engage one of the rails 28 and moves thelatter outwardly, as will be understood. Each rail 28 is pivotallyconnected at its free end as at 32 to a lever 33. Each lever 33 isfulcrumed at a point midway between its ends on the tie 8 as at 34 andits opposite end is pivotally connected as at 35 to one set of the links15 and hence is connected to one end of the bridle rod. The bridle rodand the levers 33 form connections between the switch operating railswhich cause said switch operating rails to move simultaneously inreverse directions. A train when running on to the main track fromeither side will automatically set the switch and hence all danger frommisplaced switches will be avoided.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

In a railway switch in combination with main and side rails andpointedswitch rails on the inner sides of the main rails, a bridle rodconnecting the free ends of the pointed switch rails, bed timbers on theouter sides of the outer side rails, train Wheel operated rails on thesaid bed timbers and supported thereby at the outer sides of and at ahigher plane than the outer side rails, the said train Wheel operatedrails being pivotally mounted at their inner ends and having '10 theirouter ends outturned, and levers connected to the outturned outer endsof said train Wheel operated rails and also connected to said bridlerod, said levers being fulcrulned at points intermediate their ends.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature 1; in presence of twowitnesses.

MARK KNOX MARLOXV. Witnesses:

BEN H. SMITH, JOHN R. IvEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

